Tennis-net appliance



C. A. ROBINSON.

TENNIS NET APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 9. I9Ia.

1 35 1 ,O66 Patented Aug. 31, 1920.

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GHARLES A. ROBINSON, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

TENNIS-NET APPLLANCE.

Application nled November 9, 1918. Serial No. 261,758.

To all 'whom if may concern:

Bc it known thatl, @imanes ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of East Urangc, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tennis-Net Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and eflicient appliance for use in connection with a tennis net for the purpose of maintaining the median part of the latter at a prescribed height from the level of the court when the net is erected and is iu actual service.

Accordingly the invention generally stated, consists in the provision of an appliance embodying, in its construction, an adjustable band of canvas, or other suitable flexible material, adapted to be applied to the body of a tennis net, vertically thereof, and to be detachably connected to a groundv anchor'. ln the preferred form of my invention the anchor comprises a chain of links which can be readily embedded in and securely interlocked with the earth; the connection of the band with the anchor comprises a coupling link about which the lower portion of the band is flexed while the upper portion of said band embraces the top of the net, whereby the band can be shifted from time to time in the direction of its length in order to minimize the wearing effect on the surfaces of the flexed portions of the band which contact respectively with the link and the top of the net, and the adjusting means for the band includes a buckle device of such constructionv that the predetermined vertical adjustment of the band in order to regulate the height of the net can be readily effected and maintained without liability of mutilating the band material. Moreover the band is preferably provided with suitably-disposed visual indicating means whereby the extent of the adjustment by moving the buckle device, can be readily and accurately determined without recourse to a separate measure.` t

A tennis-net appliance constructed in accordance with the principle of my invention is illustrated in the .annexed drawings and will be hereinafter described in detail; the precise scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

t ln the drawings- Figure l is a perspective view of the appliance as in actual use with a tennis net, only so much of the latter' being shown as is necessary to illustrate the invention.

j, Fig. 2 is a view, enlarged, of the basal part of the appliance, showing the chain anchor as embodied in the ground, and the Vcoupling link between the lower hight of the band and the anchor; together with an implement for facilitating the driving of the ends of the chain into the ground. j

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective view of the overlapping end portions of the band, showing the adjustable buckledevice therefor.

Fig. i is a. perspective view of the buckle members' detached.

F ig. 5 is a similarview of the coupling link.

F ig. 6 is a like view of the driving imple ment.

Referring to the drawings, A designates a portion of a tennis net; B the level of the court on which the net is erected, and C my novel appliance for holding the body of the net, midway between its ends, at the proper height. This appliance, in the preferred form illustrated, comprises an adjustable iieXible bandlO, hereinafter more particularly described, which is adapted to embrace the body of the not, from tcp to bottom, and to be connected under tension to a ground anchor ll constituted by a relatively short chain of metal links. rlhe ends of the chain are adapted to be driven, in oppositely inclined directions, into the ground B until the middle link l2 only of the chain is eef4 posed directly beneath the vertical median line of the net, as seen in Figs. l and 2. When the chain is thus forced into the ground the earth is tamped firmly upon the embedded portions of the chain, which are thus securely and reliably held in place by the passage of the earth into and about the individual links of the chain. A spike, as D, having a suitably notched extremity al affords a simple and efficient means whereby the respective ends of the chain can be driven into the ground the desired depth as above mentioned. The notched end of the spike is applied to one of the end links and, with a hammer, driven into the ground its full length at an angle of, say, e5 degrees. rThe spike is then pulled out (the chain will not come with it), and a similar driving operation thereof repeated with the other end of ther chain, but at an opposite angle;

whereupon, as a matter of convenience, the spike is permitted to remain in the ground.

The exposed apex link of the chain thus driven into the earth provides an eye to which the lower end of the strap can 'be readily connected through the medium of a suitable coupling device. ThisV device, in the present instance, comprises an open link 13 made preferably of spring wire bent into the form of an inverted triangle; the ends of the wire at the lower end or apex ofthe structure being bent Yupward in opposite directions parallel to its sides to form match lzo or sister hooks, as at 14C, that can be easily sprung apart with the lingers and securely7 hooked to or detached from the exposed link of the chain anchor.

rlhe band 10 above referred to comprises a narrow web of canvas, or other suitable flexible material, ofV somewhat greater length than double the height of the net. One end of the band is provided with an enlarged transverse portion constituting a binding bar adapted to co-act with an elongated loop-like buckle slide 17 which is -loosely applied to the body ofy the band.

Vl`he cross-section of the enlarged end of the band is somewhat greater than the widthV of the space between the parallel limbs ofthe buckle slide and hence when the 'slide and such end are brought into close relation to each other as hereinafter described, said end cannot be drawn through the slide. Preferably the enlarged portion comprises a cylindrical bar 16 incasepd by a transverse loop or pocket 15 formed at the end of the band, such bar extending from edge to edge of the band, or substantially so.

To use the appliance the band is passed around the body of the net as illustrated, and the buckle slide is moved to a predetermined position on` the body of the band. The free end of the band, which is preferably V-shaped as indicated at 18, is passed downwardly through the adjusted slide and the band is drawn throughout its length un til the bar end of the band is located between the parallel limbs of theV slide. rlhe outer or free end ofthe band is then passed over and about the incased bar and downwardly between it and the lower limb of the buckle slide, so as to depend freely below the latter as clearly seen in Fig. 3. The portion of the band immediately above the slide is then grasped and held and the free depending end is pulled tight. rlhe position of the slide on the body of the band thus determines to a nicety the effective length of the latter between the anchor and the top of the net, and when the adjustment is accomplished as above described the buckle device insures a positive and reliable band connection. It will not slip as the harder the band is pulled in oppositionY to the connection thetighter the binding bar claims.

' be shifted from time to time in the direction of its length the wearing effect on those surfaces of the band which contact respectively with the'link and the top of the net is materially reduced, as above mentioned.

The outer surface of the band is preferably provided above the free end 18 thereof with a series of spaced graduations, c', which are appropriately numbered to indicate the extent of adjustment of the band in relation to the height of the top of the net from the court level. In the present instance the graduations have associated therewith'the numerals 34C, 35 and 36, (34: and 36 only being visible) each of such num bered graduations, when it is located in the center of the buckle1nember, indicating that the length of the band, from its top bight to the bottom of the'coupling link A13, is a corresponding number of inches. In the event of Athe anchor projecting above the surface of the ground, sayhalf an inch, the

lband can be shortened accordingly. For example, if it be desired to adjust the net to the regulation height of a tennis net, viz, 36 inches, and the anchor should project, say, a half inch, as above mentioned, then the band should be adjusted by 'placing in the center o-f the buckle-device the mark denoting 35?; inches. i

From the foregoing it will be seen that my appliance is simple, inexpensive, neat anddurable in construction, and that it can be applied to a tennis net and manipulated with ease and facility to secure and maintain the net at a prescribed height from the level of the court, as previously stated. v

rThe buckle construction shown and described may be advantageously used in connection with bands or belts for various purposes, and hence a separate application for such construction, per se, will be filed.

l do not limit myself to the exact details ofconstruction-herein disclosed as the same may be modified within the principle of my invention and the scope of the appended l claim- 1. A tennis-net appliance comprising a fieXible element adapted to be applied to a net, a chain of links adapted to be embedded in the ground to constitute a ground anchor, and means for connecting said element with the body of the chain at a point between the ends of the latter.

2. A tennis-net appliance comprising a l flexible element adapted to be passed vertically about a net, means for adjustably connecting the ends of the band, a chain oi links adapted to be embedded in the ground to constitute a ground anchor, and a coupling member for the band and anchor, said band being slidable through said member.

3. In a tennis-net appliance, a band having an enlarged end portion, and an elongated loop member slidable on the body of the band, said member having two parallel limbs with a space therebetween of less width than the cross-section of the enlarged end portion but suilicient to permit the passage of the free end of the band between such portion and the respective limbs.

4. In a tennis-net appliance, a band having a pocket at one end thereof, a binding bar within said pocket, and an elongated loop member slidable on the body of the band, said member having two parallel limbs with a space therebetween of less width than the diameter of the bar and proportioned to permit the passage of the free end of the band between the pocketed bar and the respective limbs.

5. In a tennis-net appliance, a band adapted to be passed vertically about a net, a ground anchor, and a coupling member for the band and anchor, said member comprising a link through which the 'band is freely passed, said link having normally overlapping end portions adapted to be sprung apart for engagement with the anchor.

6. In a tennis-net appliance, a band adapted to be passed vertically about a net, a ground anchor, and a coupling member for the band and anchor, said member comprising a wire link in the form of an inverted triangle through which the band is passed, the ends of the wire at the bottom of the triangle being bent upward in opposite directions parallel to its sides to provide hook portions adapted to be sprung apart for engagement with the anchor.

7. A tennis net appliance comprising a band adapted to be passed vertically about a net, said band having measuring indications thereon in proximity to one end of the band, an adjusting connecting device between the other end of the band and the portion having the measuring indications, said device being constructed to coperate with the said indications to indicate the height of the net from the level of the court, a ground anchor, and a coupling member for the band and anchor, said band being slidable through said member.

8. A tennis-net appliance comprising a band adapted to be passed vertically about a net, said band having measuring indications thereon in proximity to one end of the band, a binding member at the other end of the band, and an elongated loop member slidable upon the body of the band in the Zone of the graduations, said loop member having two parallel limbs with a space therebetween of less width than the diameter of the binding member, and proportioned to permit the passage of the band between the latter member and the respective limbs of the loop member.

9. The combination with a tennis-net, ot a ground anchor comprising a link chain having its ends driven into the ground in oppositely inclined directions, an adjustable band vertically embracing the net, and a link connection between said band and the apex of the chain.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this 14th day of October, A. D. 1918.

CHARLES A. ROBINSON. 

